Easy Homemade Ice Cream
Okay, I know this recipe isn't low-fat, it is ice-cream after all! The benefits of making your own: no additives, colour or "flavourings", you can even go organic, make this a good choice if you are craving the "real thing". I found I was satisfied on a lot less of this ice cream than what I get from the store. The children had other flavour ideas...have a look at their suggestions below the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup mashed fruit (we used thawed frozen raspberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1. Mix the fruit with the sugar in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whip the cream in another bowl using an electric mixer (If you put this bowl in refrigerator beforehand the cream will whip faster). Whip until you can write your name in the cream (get the kids to do this!).
3. Fold in the fruit and sugar mixture as gently as you can. Then pour it into a freezer tray and put in the freezer (we used a plastic container).
4. After 1 and a half hours the ice cream will start to freeze on the surface and around the edges. Take it out of the freezer, put it in a bowl and rebeat it until it becomes mushy (this helps it freeze better). Now back it goes into the freezer tray and into the freezer. It should be ready to eat in about 3 more hours.
*We tripled the recipe for our class
Suggested Flavourings from the class:
frozen strawberries
frozen mango
no fruit, but add vanilla
no fruit but fold in chocolate sauce or melted chocolate
raspberries with chocolate chips
mint with chocolate chips
Let me know if you try any of these. I think I'm going for the mango!
The Science Part:
First, a few tiny bits (or molecules) form tiny seed crystals. These crystals act like magnets that attract the other molecules in the ice cream and they join to form larger crystals. The reason you stir your half-frozen ice cream is to break up the large crystals so more seed crystals will be formed. This makes your ice cream freeze faster and more evenly.
Ingredients:
1 cup mashed fruit (we used thawed frozen raspberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1. Mix the fruit with the sugar in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whip the cream in another bowl using an electric mixer (If you put this bowl in refrigerator beforehand the cream will whip faster). Whip until you can write your name in the cream (get the kids to do this!).
3. Fold in the fruit and sugar mixture as gently as you can. Then pour it into a freezer tray and put in the freezer (we used a plastic container).
4. After 1 and a half hours the ice cream will start to freeze on the surface and around the edges. Take it out of the freezer, put it in a bowl and rebeat it until it becomes mushy (this helps it freeze better). Now back it goes into the freezer tray and into the freezer. It should be ready to eat in about 3 more hours.
*We tripled the recipe for our class
Suggested Flavourings from the class:
frozen strawberries
frozen mango
no fruit, but add vanilla
no fruit but fold in chocolate sauce or melted chocolate
raspberries with chocolate chips
mint with chocolate chips
Let me know if you try any of these. I think I'm going for the mango!
The Science Part:
First, a few tiny bits (or molecules) form tiny seed crystals. These crystals act like magnets that attract the other molecules in the ice cream and they join to form larger crystals. The reason you stir your half-frozen ice cream is to break up the large crystals so more seed crystals will be formed. This makes your ice cream freeze faster and more evenly.
Ginger Crinkles
This recipe originally came from Canadian Living Magazine. I have made them with quite a few classes over the years and with my own children. Children love rolling the cookies into balls and dipping them in sugar. No need to flatten the balls with a fork, they make their delicious crinkly shape all on their own.
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup fancy molasses
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
In bowl, whisk oil with 1 cup sugar. Whisk in egg until smooth. Whisk in molasses.
In separate bowl combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Pour over oil mixture and stir until moist dough forms.
Using 1Tbsp dough per cookie, roll into balls. Roll balls in remaining sugar to coat
Bake on lightly greased baking sheets in the centre of a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes. Cookies should be flattened, cracked and browned all over. Let cool completely.
Enjoy!
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup fancy molasses
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
In bowl, whisk oil with 1 cup sugar. Whisk in egg until smooth. Whisk in molasses.
In separate bowl combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Pour over oil mixture and stir until moist dough forms.
Using 1Tbsp dough per cookie, roll into balls. Roll balls in remaining sugar to coat
Bake on lightly greased baking sheets in the centre of a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes. Cookies should be flattened, cracked and browned all over. Let cool completely.
Enjoy!
Banana Muffins
I discovered this banana muffin recipe in a vegan cookbook when I had a surplus of ripe bananas and no eggs. They're so yummy and fluffy! Now I make them even if I have eggs. A great recipe to have in your recipe file if you are baking for someone with food allergies. Egg free, dairy-free and a nut free option. Enjoy!
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
4 ripe bananas mashed
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional: 1 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease muffin tins (I use paper liners). In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together, then add the mashed bananas. Stir in the water and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture, along with the chocolate chips, and stir to mix.
Fill each muffin tin halfway with the batter. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Yield 12 muffins
Note: I haven't tried them with the optional ingredients. For some strange reason the chocolate chips in my house keep disappearing before I get to bake with them!
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
4 ripe bananas mashed
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional: 1 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease muffin tins (I use paper liners). In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together, then add the mashed bananas. Stir in the water and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture, along with the chocolate chips, and stir to mix.
Fill each muffin tin halfway with the batter. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Yield 12 muffins
Note: I haven't tried them with the optional ingredients. For some strange reason the chocolate chips in my house keep disappearing before I get to bake with them!
Crockpot Applesauce
Ingredients:
Apples
Water
Sugar (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)
Apples
Water
Sugar (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)
Method:
Peel, core and slice apples. Place in slow cooker. Add about 1/4 cup water. Cook in slow cooker on low (5-6 hours) or high (4-5) hours. Remove from slow cooker, mash and let cool. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.
Will keep a few days in an air tight container in the fridge.
Slow cooker times may vary.
Peel, core and slice apples. Place in slow cooker. Add about 1/4 cup water. Cook in slow cooker on low (5-6 hours) or high (4-5) hours. Remove from slow cooker, mash and let cool. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.
Will keep a few days in an air tight container in the fridge.
Slow cooker times may vary.